The Cherry Orchard

For possibly the first time in her career Louise Gold appearing as a member of The Royal Shakespeare Company!

Louise Gold played the featured role of Dunyasha in various venues, from The Swan Theatre in Stratford Upon Avon to Richmond Theatre in surrey, between (sometime after 3rd but before 24th) October 1996 to 22nd March 1997. In particular at The Alberry Theatre, London, between: 25th November 1996 - 25 January 1997.

Louise herself clearly enjoyed her role and the tour:

 "This has been a terrific part for me. Recently we had a glorious week in Bath playing to packed houses every evening and getting a wonderful response - and doing lovely touristy things during the day. Truly it was like being on a paid holiday!" Louise Gold to Helen Taylor, THE RICHMOND AND TWICKENHAM TIMES, 14 March 1997.

 

Cast:

Stratford & London

 

Lopakhin, a businessman - David Troughton

Dunyasha - a maid - Louise Gold

Epihodov, a clerk - John Dougall

Firs, a manservant - Peter Copley

Mme Ranyevskaya, an estate-owner - Penelope Wilton

Anya, her daughter - Emilia Fox

Varya, her adopted daughter - Kate Duchene

Charlotte, a governess - Darlene Johnson

Gaev, Mme Ranyevskaya's brother - Alec McCowen

Semyonov-Pishchik, a neighbouring estate-owner - James Hayes

Yahsa - a manservant - Mark Lockyer

Trofimov, a student - Sean Murray

Passers-by - Steven Elder and Charlotte Longfield

Stationmaster - Tim Thomas

Post Office Clerk - Bill Nash / John Nash (he was billed as John Nash in Stratford, but Bill Nash thereafter)

Servants - Harriet Cater, Steven Elder, Charlotte Longfield and Tim Thomas

 

 Tour: 27 January to 22 March 1997

 

Lopakhin, a businessman - David Troughton

Dunyasha - a maid - Louise Gold

Epihodov, a clerk - John Dougall

Firs, a manservant - Charles Simon

Mme Ranyevskaya, an estate-owner - Penelope Wilton

Anya, her daughter - Emilia Fox

Varya, her adopted daughter - Kate Duchene

Charlotte, a governess - Darlene Johnson

Gaev, Mme Ranyevskaya's brother – Robert Lang

Semyonov-Pishchik, a neighbouring estate-owner - James Hayes

Yahsa - a manservant – Steven Elder

Trofimov, a student - Sean Murray

Passers-by - Charlotte Longfield, and, Bill Nash

Stationmaster - Tim Thomas

Post Office Clerk - Bill Nash

Servants – Stephen Armstrong, Harriet Cater, Charlotte Longfield and Tim Thomas

 

Understudies:

Yasha/Post Office Clerk/Karp – Stephen Armstrong

Dunyasha/Anya - Harriet Cater

Lopakhin - John Dougall

Trofimov. - Steven Elder

Gaev - James Hayes

Ranevskaya - Darlene Johnson

Varya/Charlotte - Charlotte Longfield

Epihodov/Passer-by/Stationmaster - Bill Nash

Firs/Semyonov-Pishchik - Tim Thomas

 

Production Team

Author - Anton Chekhov

This version - Peter Gill

Director - Adrian Noble

Designer - Richard Hudson

Lighting Director - Wayne Dowdeswell

Music by - Stephen Warbeck

Movement - Sue Lefton

Sound Designer -Charles Horne

 

Stratford

 

Musical Director – Michael Tubbs

Assistant Director – Sean Holmes

Company voice work by – Andrew Wade, and, Lyn Darnley

Company Manager – Paul Deavin

Stage Manager – Simon Dodson

Deputy Stage Manager – Maz Bryden

Assistant Stage Manager – Kerry McDevitt

Wardrobe Master – Michael Jason

Wigs Mistress – Alexandra Cawdron

Assistant Wigs Mistress – Helen Murphy

Musicians

Flute/Piccolo – Ian Reynolds

Clarinet/E flat Clarinet – Edward Watson

Violin/viola – Richard Springate

Violin – Jeremy Ballad

Double Bass – Simon Phillips

Dulcimer/guitar – Michael Tubbs

 

 

London

 

Musical Director – James Dodgson

Assistant Director – Sean Holmes

Company voice work by – Andrew Wade, and, Lyn Darnley

Company Manager – Paul Deavin

Stage Manager – Simon Dodson

Deputy Stage Manager – Maz Bryden

Assistant Stage Manager – Kerry McDevitt

Sound Operator – Sean Knowles

Wardrobe Master – Michael Jason

Wigs Mistress – Alexandra Cawdron

Assistant Wigs Mistress – Helen Murphy

Musicians

Flute/Piccolo – Peter Lewis

Clarinet/E flat Clarinet – Gareth Brady

Violin/viola – Richard Springate

Violin – Andrew Laing

Double Bass – Simon Phillips

Dulcimer/guitar – James Dodgson

 

Tour

 

Musical Director – James Dodgson

Assistant Director – Sean Holmes

Company voice work by – Andrew Wade, and, Lyn Darnley

Company Manager – Paul Deavin

Stage Manager – Simon Dodson

Deputy Stage Manager – Maz Bryden

Assistant Stage Manager – Kerry McDevitt

Sound Operator – Sean Knowles

Wardrobe Master – Michael Jason

Wigs Mistress – Alexandra Cawdron

Assistant Wigs Mistress – Helen Murphy

Musicians

Flute/Piccolo – Peter Lewis

Clarinet/E flat Clarinet – Merlin Shepherd

Violin/viola – Richard Springate

Violin – Andrew Laing

Double Bass – Simon Phillips

Dulcimer/guitar – James Dodgson

 

 

Tour Dates

The Swan in Stratford upon Avon from (some time after 3 but before 24) October - 9 November 1996

The Alberry London, 25 November 1996 - 25 January 1997

Festival Theatre Chichester, 27 January - 1 February 1997

Theatre Royal Nottingham, 3 - 8 February 1997

Theatre Royal Newcastle, 10 -15 February 1997

N Wales Theatre Llanndudno, 25 February - 1 March 1997

Theatre Royal Bath, 3 - 8 March 1997

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, 10 - 15 March 1997

Richmond Theatre, 17-22 March 1997

 

For an account/review of this show, please click here

 

It would seem likely that sound operator Sean Knowles may the same sound person credited as Shaun Knowles on Merrily We Roll Along (Stage Production), but it is not known for sure.

Adrian Noble had previously mounted this production of The Cherry Orchard at The Swan Theatre in Stratford Upon Avon in the Summer 1995 season (debut on 28 June 1995), but with a slightly different cast. That is to say, most of the principals were the same (except for Dunyasha who was played by Josie Lawrence, and Anya). In addition for the tour after the show had played London, Peter Copley was replaced in the role of Firs by Charles Simon, and Mark Lockyer also left being replaced by his understudy.

Coincidentally, many years earlier, Charles Simon had a major role in a play at a theatre in Darlington, with Louise Gold’s mother as his leading lady.

A further co-incidence, is that director Adrian Noble’s father and actress Louise Gold’s mother were both notable members of London’s Unity Theatre.

Charles Simon went on to appear in Topsy Turvy.

Louise Gold also went on to appear in the film Topsy Turvy, part of which was filmed at Richmond Theatre.

Louise Gold had previously puppeteered on a Spitting Image special The Sound Of Maggie, which was also filmed at Richmond Theatre.

Louise Gold had appeared Theatre Royal Nottingham many years earlier in one of her first jobs as a touring actress in Hair, and a little later in  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Touring Production).

Louise Gold had previously appeared at The Chichester Festival Theatre, The Yvonne Arnaud theatre, and, Richmond Theatre in Noel/Cole: Let’s Do It.

Louise Gold has gone on to appear at The Chichester Festival Theatre in The Gondoliers and The Water Babies. She has also appeared at Chichester in the Final Chic Cabaret 2003 , a one night fundraising gala Curtain Up, and the Christmas Concerts 2003

Over half a century earlier in it’s history, Theatre Royal Bath had nearly burnt down (due to enemy action) during World War Two, it was saved by the prompt actions of Musical Director Constant Lambert of the Sadler’sWells Ballet Company (formerly The Vic-Wells Ballet Company, later The Royal Ballet Company) and leading male dancer Robert Helpmann using the theatre’s own fire hoses. Quite why they were still in the theatre in middle of the night may be explained by the fact that due to the war devastation there was a distinct shortage of accommodation in the city.

Stephen Warbeck had previously provided music for the Edinburgh Lyceum production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle. He also went on to write the score for The Villains Opera.

Alec McCowen’s recording credits include: The Best Of Broadway Musicals, The Greatest Musicals of the 20th Century, and, The Great Musicals – Glamour And Majesty.

It might be noted that at the time of this particular tour the RSC had recently brought in short contracts, of less than 12 months. Louise Gold was among the first actors to come into the RSC on a short contract, for a specific touring production.

Adrian Noble has gone on to direct Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on the West End stage (which Louise Gold appeared in for the last year and a half of the run).

Eleven years later, found Louise Gold back on stage in Richmond Upon Thames, this time at The Orange Tree Theatre in Next Door’s Baby.

 

I will only add, that if I had not actually seen the show myself, I would not have believed that Louise Gold could earn the comment critic Alistair Macaulay made of her performance (below), for her she was unusually restrained!

 

Critics Comments

  “The servants have good parts in this well-tried play. (I thought Dunyasha too tall and too overdramatic by far but could see that she will be a fine actress in some better part for her).” Sue Krisman, LONDON THEATRE.CO.UK, 6 December 1996

  "Different kinds of too- English restraint also prevent Kate Duchene's Varya, Sean Murray's Trofimov, Emila Fox's Anya and Louise Gold's Dunyasha from turning their intelligent sensitive characterisations into brimful living characters." Alastair Macaulay, FINANCIAL TIMES, 27 November 1996

 

Links About The Cherry Orchard

TRPW/Theatre’s entry for The Cherry Orchard: http://www.trpw.org/theatre/Productions.asp?id=ALBE0002

 

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